Why go to law school?

msmith85

Hi all!

After a long day of prepping and wracking my brain over LR, I am asking myself "Why law school?" I'm in need of motivation--or maybe a wake-up call.

I'm curious, why do you all want to go to law school? What keeps you motivated? What do you want to do that taking the LSAT will enable you to do?

Nilesh S

Msmith85, nobody else can motivate you as to why you should go to to law school... But if it really does help you find motivation, here's my story... I want to because I want to enter legal academia. Plus being an internationally trained lawyer and academic already, and having gotten masters of laws in the US, I love the law as a subject.

Dev Mock

I agree with Nilesh. If you are looking for motivation, look inward.
As for me, I was home schooled almost my whole life. When I watched the Home School Legal Defense Association defend home schooling in Jonathan v. The Superior Court of LA case, I knew that was what I wanted to do in the future. Not only do I want to work for the HSLDA but I would also like to get involved in policy writing to help home schooling become a more accessible and accepted option. Law school is the best option for me to pursue that dream.

miriruchert

I'm going for the knowledge…then secondly to go into international human rights law, helping NGO's like innocence en danger. I would want to end up in academia as I love legal research and writing.

Nilesh S

That seems a fair goal... Try for a T14 or a UCLA / UT Austin/Minnesota (maybe UCI - too early to take a call on that one yet) as these are the schools that usually feed into academia. But also remember that should one of those not happen, its not the end of the world as for International Human Rights, Chicago, Cornell, Duke, Penn & Northwestern all have very strong international law and/or human rights programs. Some have clinics where you will be exposed to the kind of work you want to do... One of the clinics at Penn actually did international relief work at Haiti. Outside the T!$ and UCLA, I would look at Boston.

abinandeh

jamesedition.com

miriruchert

yep. trying for t14 for sure. Im geographically bound because i have four kids - live relatively close to stanford and berkeley so will try. If not, santa clara, and then I will just make it great. It really is what you make of it too. Santa Clara has a summer program w the hague, although I would hesitate to get into the ICC mess…

Nilesh S

That's great... yes you are right.. It is what you make of it as well... the schools can give you a push but you craft your own future... and you seem to have things figured out. I wish you best of luck.